Not much has eluded Phil Mickelson on the golf course since he turned pro in 1992.
If there is one thing, however, it’s the career grand slam. Mickelson has been one leg shy since his Open Championship win in 2013. He’ll have another chance to complete that final leg at the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 this week.
Despite coming up short in the win column, the 53-year-old has seen success in the U.S. Open to the tune of 10 top-10 finishes in 32 career starts. Could this be his year at Pinehurst?
What constitutes a career grand slam?
The career grand slam in men’s professional golf is when a golfer wins each of the four major tournaments at some point in his career, including the Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, PGA Championship and the Open Championship.
How many golfers have completed the career grand slam?
As of this week, just five men have completed the task: Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen. Of the five, Woods and Nicklaus are the only ones to win each of the four majors at least three times.
Bobby Jones completed the original grand slam in 1930 by winning The Open Championship, the U.S. Open, the U.S. Amateur and the British Amateur. Since the landscape of major tournaments has changed over the years, no other player has completed all four legs in a consecutive manner.
The closest anyone came was Woods in 2001-02, when he won all four majors consecutively, but over two seasons. He won the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship in 2001 and followed them up with the 2002 Masters, which became affectionately known as the “Tiger Slam.”
How many majors has Phil Mickelson won?
Phil Mickelson has six majors under his belt. He’s won the Masters Tournament three times (2004, 2006, 2010), the PGA Championship twice (2005 and 2021) and The Open Championship in 2013.
Most recently, he also finished in a tie for second in the 2023 Masters following a Sunday 65.
Phil Mickelson’s odds to win the 2024 U.S. Open
According to BetMGM, Mickelson’s odds sit at +30,000 to win at Pinehurst this week.
Phil Mickelson’s U.S Open history
Mickelson has finished in second or a tie for second six times at the U.S. Open (1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2013). He finished runner-up to champion Payne Stewart in 1999, the first of three U.S. Opens held at Pinehurst.
Career finishes at the U.S. Open:
1990: T-29 (Medinah Country Club)
1991: T-55 (Hazeltine National Golf Club)
1992: MC (Pebble Beach Golf Links)
1994: T-47th (Oakmont Country Club)
1995: T-4th (Shinnecock Hills Golf Club)
1996: T-94th (Oakland Hills Country Club)
1997: T-43rd (Congressional Country Club)
1998: T-10th (The Olympic Club)
1999: 2nd (Pinehurst No. 2)
2000: T-16th (Pebble Beach)
2001: T-7 (Southern Hills Country Club)
2002: 2nd (Bethpage State Park, Black Course)
2003: T-55th (Olympia Fields Country Club)
2004: 2nd (Shinnecock Hills)
2005: T-33rd (Pinehurst No. 2)
2006: T-2nd (Winged Foot Golf Club)
2007: MC (Oakmont)
2008: T-18th (Torrey Pines Golf Course)
2009: T-2nd (Bethpage Black)
2010: T-4th (Pebble Beach)
2011: T-54th (Congressional)
2012: T-65th (Olympic)
2013: T-2nd (Merion Golf Club)
2014: T-28th (Pinehurst No. 2)
2015: T-64th (Chambers Bay)
2016: MC (Oakmont)
2018: T-48th (Shinnecock Hills)
2019: T-52nd (Pebble Beach)
2020: MC (Winged Foot)
2021: T-62nd (Torrey Pines)
2022: MC (The Country Club)
2023: MC (Los Angeles Country Club)
